Sleeping-car



(No Model.)

J. A. SLEIGHER.

SLEEPING GAR.

F51 Patented 7 MENTOR w ATTORNEYS.

WITNESSES UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN A. SLEIGHER, ()F TROY, NEW YORK.

SLEEPING-CAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 273,620, dated March 6 1883.

Application filed September 28,1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.- 7

Be it known that I, JOHN A. SLEIGHER, of Troy, in the county of Rensselaer and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Sleeping-Oar, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention consists in certain novel features in the construction and arrangement of sleeping-car berths, having the object to provide for the convenient change of the berths into seats, or vice versa, and also to insure greater privacy, when arranged for sleeping purposes, as hereinafter described and claimed. Further, the object is to provide sufficient room for the passengers, in which to stand and robe and disrobe without risk of annoyance by intrusion, and also, by placing the berths transversely of the car, to render them more comfortable for sleeping.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a sectional side view, showing a portion of a car with my improved arrangements. Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the car, showing the berths as arranged for sleeping. Fig. 3 is a transverse section with the berths arranged as seats. Fig. 4 is a diagram illustrating the general arrangement of the berths in the car.

The car A may be of any ordinary construction. The interchangeable berths or seats are to be arranged as illustrated in Fig. 4, with such other compartments, closets, &c., as may be desired, one-half or a suitable number of berths at one side of the car and the others at the other side of the car, with a passage at each side of the car at the ends of the seats, said passages being connected at one end of each by a transverse passage, the other ends connecting with an ingress and egress door, so as to form a continuous passage through the car connecting through the middle. The construction of the berths is as follows: a is a frame of suitable length and width, fixed permanently to the car-floor and transversely of the car, provided with a permanent back board or frame, I), at a proper height to form the back of the seats, and also provided with an arm, 0, at its outer end.

Within the frame a, and hinged to its opposite ends, are two frames, d 01, covered with wire-netting or other suitable material, these frames being of such a size that they may be closed down entirely within the fixed frame a. The frame a is also provided with a spring bottom, e, which may be movable in order that the space beneath may be utilized for storing purposes. The back I) is provided with an 0fiset,f, at its upper end, to which is hinged a board or frame, g, which forms with the offset the bottom of the upper bench without the aid of any other board or seat-back, and also, when turned down, the hinged board or frame 9 serves, with the offset, as a back for the seat, for which purpose its upper side is to be upholstered, and when swung up against the partition h, as shown in Fig. l of the drawings, it will not inconvenience the attendant while preparing the lower berth, and will permit a more convenientuse of thelower berth when only one berth in a section is required. By attaching the support 9 at one side to a horizontal offset fixed to the top of the seat-back or near the top, 1 am able to utilize the olfset as a part of the bottom for the upper berth, it being in the same horizontal plane with said support when the latter is adjusted in a horizontal position to support said berth. By thus utilizing said offset I am enabled to secure a wider upper berth than I could do if the support 9 were hinged directly to the upright seat-back b. The board g, the bottom of the upper berth, when turned down, also serves as a back for the seat, for which purpose its upper side is to be upholstered. h is a board or a frame fitted to slide behind the back-board bin a suitable grooved way formed in the side of the car, so that when the board or frame is raised it forms with the back of the seat a close partition between the sections. To the upper end of this board or frame h is hinged a flap, 'i, of a size and form for entering the central raised portion of the car for closing the same.

k k are catches or other suitable devices fitted to the roof of the car for retaining the flap i in place. The flap imay be of metal or other suitable material. At Z there is a catch of any suitable character for retaining the board or frame It in its raised position.

In the arrangement of the seats for use during the day the flap i is to be turned down upon the board or frame h and moved down behind the back-board b. The frames d are turned down within the seat-frame ct, and the,

, flap i then turned upward and caught to the catches 7c. The board or frame 9 of the upper berth is then to be raised, the mattresses removed from the seat, and the frames 61 turned so that they form end supports for the upper berth g, as shown in Fig. 2. The mattresses and bedding may then be put in place. This arrangement divides the car into separate and completely isolated sections, each containing an upper and lower berth, with ample room at the side for all necessary purposes. At the end of each section next the passage-way a curtain, n, is to be hung, upon which may be a flap carrying the section-number, and covering an opening through which tickets may be passed. These changes can be quickly and conveniently made, and the berths,when arranged as seats, present a good appearance.

In place of using the upper hinged flap, i, there may be a netting of wire or other material arranged across the top of the car, as

shown at 0 in Fig. 3, thus making a close apartment when the partitions are placed in position.

The arrangement of the berths and passageways, as shown in Fig. 4, permits separation of the passengers as to sexes, so as to insure privacy for ladies traveling alone. The berths, being placed transversely of the car, are more comfortable, from the fact that the motion of the car is least annoying to a person lying in that position.

I do not limit myself to the details of construction exactly as shown and described, as

these may be varied within the scope of my invention. For instance, the end frames, instead of being hinged to the lower seat-frame, may be made as a single board or frame and hinged to be raised from the seat-frame or dropped from the seat-back. The sliding partition, instead of being fitted, as shown, may be separate from the fixtures of the seat, and arranged for being slipped into place when required, and entirely removed and stored elsewhere when the berths are not in use.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In sleeping-cars, the combination of the permanent seat-frame (1, provided with the back I), the board or frame g, hinged to the top of the back-board, and the hinged supporting frame or frames d, serving as a support for the upper berth, substantially as shown and described.

2. The combination, with the fixed lower berth,a, and hinged upper berth,g, of the frames d d, hinged substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a car having interchangeable seats and berths, each upper berth-frame formed of an offset, f, projecting out horizontally over the seat from the back, and .a support, g, hinged to said offset, and folding on the mattress when the car is not being used for sleeping purposes, as described.

4. The hinged flap 6, combined with the division-board h or frame, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In a car having interchangeable seats and berths, the support 9, hinged at the edge of an offset, f, to turn upwardly and rest against the back while the lower berth is being made up,

as described.

6. The combination, with the fixed frame a, of the frames 01 d, hinged to opposite ends thereof and adapted to fold within it, whereby they may be used as supports for the upper berths or be folded out of sigh t, as described.

JOHN A. SLEIOHER.

Witnesses:

GEo. B. FALES, JAMES H. Po'r'rs. 

